There is a notable paucity of multi-level analyses of IT use in IS research. Often,
analyses limited to a single level are problematic, as multi-level effects cannot be
accounted for. For example, online communities, such as the one examined in this paper,
build on network effects: they can provide more value to all members collectively
whenever each individual member participates more actively. This example also
highlights the importance of usage effectiveness – the rather commonsense, yet often
explicitly unexamined, idea that IT systems are not used for their own sake, but to
attain relevant goals. Given these challenges, we set out to explore what factors
contribute to ineffectiveness in multi-level IT use in the context of an online community.
Our initial analysis reveals two novel concepts – frictions and tensions – that could help
researchers and practitioners in better understanding the obstacles to achieving
effective multi-level IT use.